Sometimes the littlest ones in our lives provide the biggest inspiration.
Several mothers I know never touched a needle and thread before their wee ones came along. While these women nurtured their newborns, they discovered an eager creative spirit within. Many new moms take up sewing not just as an outlet or pastime while the baby sleeps but as a way to spoil their sweeties with handmade toys and clothes.
As Vera Tuman of the Woman’s Institute wrote in a 1924 article called For the Wee Ones of the World, featured in Vintage Notions: So many women want to learn how to sew
I think we’d all agree that a wonderful gesture of love lies in handcrafted goods. When we take the time to make something for someone else, it’s our way of showing we care. Maybe that’s why so many mothers delve into the creative arts when they do to reciprocate the joy that their youngsters bring to them.
Years ago, many mothers turned to sewing to cut costs. A student at the Woman’s Institute in 1926 wrote of the money she saved by making her child’s coat: The only expense was $1.50 for lining and buttons and I couldn’t get another under $12.00. Nowadays, sewing our children’s clothes isn’t always the more affordable option, but it certainly is the more rewarding and quality option. In this age of Baby Gap and children’s boutiques, wee wardrobes can be a wee bit expensive not to mention these garments are quickly outgrown!
There are many contemporary blogs and books devoted to DIY mommies, including my friend Amy Butler’s Little Stitches for Little Ones. This modern-day movement in clothing our crawlers with self-made styles is not driven by necessity but by the love of crafting whether it’s always been with us, or it arrived with baby.
Even if we don’t have tykes of our own, it’s always fun to surprise a mother-to-be with a handmade gift. Plus, you won’t worry that someone else at the baby shower brought the exact same thing.
Have you made clothes for the kiddos in your life? What did you make?
